A Midsummer Night's Dream

1958

BBC Sunday Night Theatre:

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Play written by William Shakespeare,

Directed by Rudolph Cartier

Christine Finn as Hermia finds Lysander, played by David Oxley, singularly unresponsive in this scene 
from Shakespeare's fantasy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The outstanding BBC production is being 
shown across the country by Natrional Educational Television as a feature of NET Drama Festival.
 It may be seen  tonight on Channel 3 (US Newspaper clipping from Nov 16th, 1962)

information below taken from internetshakespeare.uvic.ca

MediumBlack & white video

Length1 hrs, 45 mins

Languagesenglish

Audiencegeneral public

Play ConnectionsA Midsummer Night's Dream (teleplay)

Series Sunday Night Theatre Series

Description

This was the first full-length tv studio production of MND in England. Previously, however, there had been excerpts transmitted on television, twice in 1937 (on Feb. 18 and Apr. 23), and then again July 24, 1946 and July 28 and 29, 1947, from the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park, as well as in January 1957 directly from the Old Vic (see 401). This production was originally budgeted at £4,500, then considered an enormous sum of money. Despite grumblings from studio executives, the final cost soared to over £6,000. A cast of 12 men and 10 women, plus a Corps de Ballet of 28 contributed to the escalating costs (WAC TS/232 Nov. 1958)

Gillian Lynne as Puck and John Justin as Oberon in another TV production.

Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission.. Added 2008-11-14

Cast
Starveling........................Michael Bates

First Fairy......................Jennifer Daniel

Helena....................Vivienne Drummond

Hermia............................Christine Finn

Flute............................Ronald Fraser

Oberon............................John Justin

Demetrius..........................Eric Lander

Egeus............................John Longden

Puck............................Gillian Lynne

Mustardseed...........Gaynie MacSweenie

Quince.........................Miles Malleson

Moth............................Hazel Merry

Lysander........................David Oxley

Titania..........................Natasha Parry

Bottom............................Paul Rogers

Cobweb......................Vernie Ruthven

Snug..................................Peter Sallis

Peaseblossom.......................Jane Shore

Snout................................John Warner

Theseus..........................John Westbrook

Hippolyta.....................Margaret Whiting

Natasha Parry as Titania and Paul Rogers as Bottom
(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31297670)

Production Team and Crew Overview

Director Rudolph Cartier

Producer Rudolph Cartier

Editor Eric Crozier

Composer Leslie Bridgewater

Composer Felix Mendelssohn

Choreography Alfred Rodrigues

Costumes Pamela Glanville

Makeup Rosemary Ross

Production Clifford Hatts

Company Overview

Playgroup BBC Enterprises